This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 with respect to Japanese Patent Application No.2000-256618 filed on Aug. 28, 2000, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention generally relates to a seat apparatus for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a vehicle seat apparatus having a locking mechanism for effecting engagement with the vehicle floor.
An example of a known seat apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-177460. This disclosed seat apparatus has a locking mechanism for effecting engagement of the seat apparatus with the floor of the vehicle, and a seat slide apparatus which adjusts the seat position back and forth within a predetermined range relative to the vehicle floor. The locking mechanism can be released only when the seat position is located at a predetermined position.
In this seat apparatus, an operation handle for adjusting the seat position is located at the front side of the seat apparatus. Therefore, when an operator is in front of the seat apparatus, the operator is able to operate the operation handle. However, when the operator is behind the seat apparatus, the operator cannot operate the operation handle.
In the above seat apparatus, when the operator wants to remove the seat apparatus from the floor for enlarging the rear room space of the vehicle to permit the loading of relatively large cargo, the operator must first go to the front side of the seat apparatus to adjust the seat slide apparatus to the predetermined position. Then the operator goes behind the seat apparatus to release the locking mechanism for removing the seat apparatus. This is somewhat troublesome for the operator because the operator must move from the front side of the seat apparatus to the rear side of the seat apparatus.
It would thus be desirable to provided a seat apparatus which is not as susceptible to the aforementioned drawbacks.
It would be desirable to provide a seat apparatus in which the operator could operate the seat slide apparatus, even when the operator is positioned behind the seat apparatus.
According to one aspect of the invention, a seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a seat portion having a seat cushion, a seat slide mechanism for adjusting the position of the seat portion back and forth, and a lock mechanism adapted to effect locking engagement of the seat portion with a striker fixedly arranged relative to the floor of the vehicle, with the locking engagement being adapted to be released at a predetermined fixed position of the seat portion. A first operational mechanism is provided for operating the lock mechanism and is adapted to be operated from the rear side of the seat portion, and a second operational mechanism is provided for adjusting the position of the seat portion and is adapted to be operated from the front side and the rear side of the seat portion.
According to another aspect of the invention, a seat apparatus for a vehicle includes an upper rail slidably supported on a lower rail, a seat portion secured to the upper rail, an engaging plate rotatably supported on the upper rail and including a plurality of engaging portions positioned in holes in the lower rail to fix the upper rail relative to the lower rail and adapted to be moved out of the holes to permit back and forth sliding movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail, a front handle located at a front side of the seat portion and operatively connected to the engaging plate to rotate the engaging plate and move the engaging portions out of the holes to permit sliding movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail, and a rear handle located at a rear side of the seat portion and operatively connected to the engaging plate to rotate the engaging plate and move the engaging portions out of the holes to permit sliding movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail. A lock mechanism is adapted to effect locking engagement of the seat portion with a striker secured to the vehicle, and a lock handle is located at the rear side of the vehicle and is adapted to operatively engage the lock mechanism to release the locking engagement.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a seat portion, a seat slide mechanism to which is secured the seat portion for adjusting a position of the seat portion in a back and forth manner between a forward most position and a rearward most position, a lock mechanism adapted to effect locking engagement of the seat portion with a striker secured to the vehicle, a front handle positioned at a front side of the seat portion and operatively connected to the seat slide mechanism to release the seat slide mechanism and permit back and forth adjustment of the seat portion, a rear handle positioned at a rear side of the seat portion and operatively connected to the seat slide mechanism to release the seat slide mechanism and permit back and forth adjustment of the seat portion, and a lock handle positioned at the rear side of the seat portion and adapted to operatively engage the lock mechanism to release the locking engagement only when the seat portion has been moved to a predetermined position.